I visited Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park last week after work to have a wander around the venue and to see "The Snowman Experience", an immersive cinema experience from Backyard Cinema. This year marks 40 years since "The Snowman" was published by illustrator Raymond Briggs, and a short animation was created a few years later based on the illustrations and is shown every year at Christmas in England. This short animation is far more popular in England and includes a magical snowman that was built by a little boy. A few years ago, a sequel to "The Snowman" was released. "The Snowman Experience" is new this year to mark the 40th anniversary, and this is the first time such an attraction has taken place at Winter Wonderland. Seriously, Winter Wonderland keeps getting bigger each year with more unique attractions.
This year's attractions include the old favourites such as the Ice Bar, ice sculptures, a circus, ice skating, Christmas market, theme rides and new attractions such as "Peter Pan on Ice", "Teletubbies", ice sculpting workshops, and Backyard Cinema. Also new this year is a roller coaster Munchen Looping and possibly a larger Ferris Wheel. The attraction has attracted large audiences since its first "humble beginnings" year in 2007 with a leap in audience numbers a few years ago to prompt the organisers to de-design and increase the space. (When I visited in 2011, it was actually too busy to move and that put me off attending for a couple of years.) Those interested in Ice Bar and the Ice Kingdom may want to read my posts here Cocktails in Winter Wonderland's Bar Ice 2014 and here: Winter Wonderland's Magical Ice Kingdom (King Arthur).
I had scheduled "The Snowman Experience" for the early evening before most of the crowds had gathered. We were led into the first room to watch the first part of the animation where the boy builds the snowman and it comes to life. The room had a set of the living room and the kitchen of the house, which changed depending on what was happening in the film (lights turning on and off, the television turning on, the Christmas lights/fire, the snow falling). The next part, we were led through a chilly and foggy forest which smelled of pine tree before watching part of the film with the classic song with the snowman and boy flying through the air. The last scene was the snowman's party with a table set for a party. At this point, the snowman came through to wave to us.
After the film concluded, I had a bite to eat and drink and walked around the Christmas markets. This year, I noticed some popular London street food vendors selling in an area with live music at Hyde Park Winter Wonderland. I had Homeslice Pizza, a staple of London pizza that started at Seven Dials (Lunch at Homeslice Pizza (Seven Dials, London)), and I really wanted halloumi fries but never got them.
The was one market stall in the Christmas markets from iCreateDesserts that were selling glowing light bulb mocktails, and these actually attracted so much attention!
Winter Wonderland was fairly busy when leaving, and it was quite an early night as a large group of people were entering as I was leaving! But I had plans early on Saturday so needed to get home.
Previous visits to Winter Wonderland for historical purposes are below:
Where to See London's Christmas Lights 2017
Where to See Christmas Lights in London (2015)
London Hyde Park's Winter Wonderland 2014
Hyde Park Winter Wonderland (2011)
A Winter Wonderland in Hyde Park (2010)
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